Abstract
We established a panel of 17 xenografts from primary human breast carcinomas. We examined which characteristics of the original tumours and the xenografts facilitate growth in animals. Tumours expressing medium or strong immunoreactivity for p53 protein had significantly (P < 0.05) higher incidence (92%) of in vivo tumour take than those showing weak or negative immunoreactivity (9.1%). No such association was observed between either c-erbB-2 or epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in the original tumours and their in vivo tumour take. Following subcutaneous (s.c.) transplantation of original breast tumours or established xenografts, 7/17 tumours showed metastatic disease spread to distant sites (mainly lungs). This study suggests that selective growth of highly aggressive tumours occurs during in vivo propagation of malignant tumours, and these tumours will be of particular interest in evaluating various chemotherapeutic agents for breast cancer management.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Aged
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Breast Neoplasms / genetics
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Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
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Carcinoma / genetics
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Carcinoma / pathology*
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Collagen / pharmacology*
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Drug Combinations
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ErbB Receptors / biosynthesis
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ErbB Receptors / genetics
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Female
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Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
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Graft Survival*
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Humans
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Injections, Subcutaneous
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Laminin / pharmacology*
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Menopause
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Mice, Nude
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Middle Aged
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Neoplasm Metastasis
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Neoplasm Proteins / biosynthesis*
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Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
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Neoplasm Transplantation
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Proteoglycans / pharmacology*
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Receptor, ErbB-2 / biosynthesis*
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Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics
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Transplantation, Heterologous*
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Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / biosynthesis*
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Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics
Substances
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Drug Combinations
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Laminin
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Neoplasm Proteins
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Proteoglycans
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Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
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matrigel
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Collagen
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ErbB Receptors
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Receptor, ErbB-2